Saturday, July 19, 7 p.m., Sunday, July 20, 6 p.m.

“Last of the Red Hot Lovers”

This 1969 gem from Neil Simon, America's leading comic playwright, garnered several Tony nominations, including Best Play, and went on to become a 1972 film starring Alan Arkin, Sally Kellerman, Paula Prentiss, and Renee Taylor.
The New Surry Theatre’s production opened in January of this year in Blue Hill. The Ellsworth American said of the production, “one minute you’re hysterical the next minute you’re trying to count up how many kind and decent people you know.” The Reach Performing Arts Center is pleased to bring this side-splitting comedy back to the stage.

Tickets at the door, Turtle Gallery & gWatson Gallery. $12, $8 seniors and students.
For information call 348-6301 x227.

Sunday, July 27, 7 p.m.

13th annual “Evening of Broadway”

An evening of Broadway show tunes sung by the “Evening of Broadway” chorus and soloists. This perennial favorite raised over $4,000 last year for music scholarships.

Tickets not required. Free will offering to benefit music scholarships.
For information call 367-5902.

Saturday, August. 2, 7:30 p.m.

Cashore Marionettes

Joseph Cashore describes his performances as “Bringing Art to Life.” The Center of Contemporary Arts in St. Louis said, “The quality of manipulation is unparalleled and the effect upon the audience is powerful.” Cashore has been designing and performing his remarkable marionettes for over 30 years.

Tickets at the door, Turtle Gallery & gWatson Gallery. $12, $8 seniors and students.
For information call 348-6301 x227.

Friday, August 8, 7:30 p.m.

Richie Havens

Richie Havens is gifted with one of the most recognizable voices in popular music. His fiery, poignant, always soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since he first emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 1960’s. It’s a voice that has inspired and electrified audiences from the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair in 1969, to the Clinton Presidential Inauguration in 1993.

For over three decades, Richie has used his music to convey messages of brotherhood and personal freedom. With more than twenty-five albums released and a touring schedule that would kill many a younger man, he continues to view his calling as a higher one. As he told The Denver Post, "I really sing songs that move me. I’m not in show business, I’m in the communications business. That’s what it’s about for me".

Tickets at the door, Turtle Gallery & gWatson Gallery. $20.
For information call 348-6301 x227.

REACH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER SUPPORTS AFRICAN STUDIES THEME

African dance, drums, and song continue to resonate inside the Reach Performing Arts Center as a series of talented performing artists continue to enhance the elementary school’s exploration of sub-Saharan Africa. Workshops, performances, and residencies have involved students at all grade levels, K-8, as well as some of our neighboring peninsula schools, and adult members of our island community.

The “Bamidele African Dancers and Drummers” provided an energized and colorful January “kick off” to the African Studies Theme. In addition to our own students, children from Sedgwick, Brooklin, and Blue Hill danced, drummed, and chanted on the Reach stage. Interaction with this professional company was equally engaging for the adults who attended a lively community performance. The Reach Performing Arts Center is grateful to the school union’s “Arts in Education” committee for their help and support with this worthwhile program.

Twanda Chabikwa, an African drummer and dancer who grew up in Zimbabwe, orchestrated a week long residency for students in grades 6-8. Many students were familiar with Twanda’s talents from their experiences at the Reach’s summer Arts Camp and eagerly responded to his dance and instrumental interpretations of African stories and myths. Each middle school class demonstrated what they had learned at the end of the residency by performing on the Reach stage to a highly motivated audience.

Another African arts opportunity involved students in grades 3-5 as they participated in an African residency with “Baba Kevin”. His expertise in African music and movement created an additional, exciting arts experience for our elementary school students that culminated in a performance on February 8.
There is no end to the many African cultural opportunities for our students. Len Cabral, “African Story Teller”, will appear on March 19 at the Reach Performing Arts Center and in the DISES library to weave his stories through workshops and performances.

Students in grades K-2 are working with Mr. Gray on a short mini-musical, the “Unity Tree”, which they will perform in the near future. From the very beginning of their school experience, our youngest students begin to explore the many rich performing arts opportunities made possible by the presence of the Reach Performing Arts Center. Integrating the arts with the school curriculum, as our students are learning with the African Studies theme, is a positive, meaningful experience for everyone.